Combination sisal and cotton buff



A115 20, 1957 s. c. M'ocKlEwlcz COMBINATION SISAL AND coTToN BUFF Filed March 2. 1.955

muli Hll L.

United States vPatent COMBINATIN SSAL ANDA COTTON BUFF Sylvester C. Mockiewicz, Chicago, Ill., assigner to American'Bnflt Company, Chicago,"lljl aI corporation of Illinois Application March 2, 195,5, Seriall No. 491,679

Claims. (Cl. 51-193) The present invention relates to an improved bias-cut buff and, more particularly, pertains to a buff combining the. desired features of both sisal and cloth buffs into an integral assembly capable of producing greatly improved results.

It is well recognized in the metal-finishing art that to impart a suitable finish to metal products, such as is desirable preparatory to plating, a preliminary polishing operation, which removes heavy burs andimparts a semismooth finish, must be followed by a secondary buffing operation if a high luster or good color is to be obtained on the metal surface.

The polishing and buing operations are usually effected in two separate steps on different wheels. Wheels formed of a coarse material and impregnated with a coarse abrasive compound enable a rapid cutting or polishing operation to be performed on the metal object; but to obtain the desirable luster and color essential for a plating operation, which magnifies` any imperfections in the base metal, subsequent bufiing operation employing a soft wheel must be performed. The latter bufing operation has heretofore been carried'. out on cotton or similar cloth wheels.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a buing wheel which affords the rapid metalcutting quality of a coarse-polishing wheel and the smooth luster-imparting ability of a soft cotton buff.

It is another object of this invention to provide a bung wheel which will afford substantial savings in time, labor, and material, as a result of an improved multipurpose construction.

It is another object of this invention to provide a buffing-wheel construction which maintains the fabric portions in assembled relationship and prevents unravelling of a coarsely woven sisal element at the working periphery.

it is a still further object of this invention to provide a bulng wheel which is formed in a manner affording great flexibility when utilized on irregular or contoured surfaces.

It is another object of this invention to provide a buffing wheel which is formed in a manner insuring adequate ventilation during operation thereby preventing overheating.

Further and additional objects of this invention will become obvious from a consideration of this specification, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

In carrying o-ut this invention in one form, a bung wheel' is provided which comprises a foldedy laminated sheet which may be arranged in the configuration of a flat spiral about a central clamping ring. Each sheet comprises at least one bias-cut sisal and one bias-cut cotton lamination whereby each disc-like convolution of the laminated sheet provides a sisal work-engaging surface and cotton work-engaging surface on oppositely disposed sides. The two laminations are joined together by rows cf stitching concentric with the central clamping ring. Near the clamping ring, the sheets are gathered in ruflles about their lesser inner periphery which diminrice ish as the outer periphery is approached. These rules assist in the ventilation of an operating buff, and thereby prevent overheating thereof.

For a more complete understanding of this invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of one embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial. sectional view of the embodiment of Fig. l. taken on the line 2-2 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a partial enlarged view of the cotton lamination of one of the discs utilized in the embodiment of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a partial enlarged View of a sisal lamination of one of the discs utilized' in the embodiment of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly to Fig. l, a buff '10 is illustrated which embodies the teaching of this invention. The buff 10 comprises a 'folded laminated sheet, having a sisal and a cotton lamination, arranged in a flat spiral-like configuration about a clamping ring 18; lf desired, more than one laminated sheet may be positioned on the same clamping ring. A central fold. or bightfportion 14 of the laminated sheets is secured between clamping lugs 16 of the ring 18. It is apparent from Fig. 2 that each 360 turn of the folded laminated'. sheet forms a pair of disc-like convolutions or annuluses 12. The latter clamping engagement enables the positioning of the disc-like convolutions 12 inthe configuration of a fiat spiral with the sisal-working surfaces 26, and the smooth cottonworking surfaces 24 disposed substantiallyA in the plane ofthe clamping ring 1B. A metal disc 20 may be provided which engages the clamping ring18 by means of lugs 22. The disc 20 may bey apertured at 23 for purposes of engaging a rotating spindle in the course of any bung operation.

Fig. 3 is a partial view of a disc-like convolution 12 showing, in detail, the biascut of a cotton lamination 24. Fig. 4 is the reverse side of the disc fragment illustrated in Fig. 3, similarly showing, in detail, the bias cut of the coarsely woven sisal lamination 26, in` which thewoof fibers 23 and the warp fibers 25 are disposed at an angle of approximately 45 to the work-engaging periphery. The bias cut of the two. laminations enables the woof and warp threads to. better bind each other against the unravelling forces created by contact with the work surface and the centrifugal forces present at the work-en gaging peripheries. As willbe noted. from Fig. 2, each thread of the sisal and cotton laminations is folded 1805 and clamped at the bight portion 14, between a retaining ring 30 and: the clamping. ring 1S, thereby assisting in the prevention of unravelling.

It is also apparent from Figs. 3 and 4 that each disclike convolution 12 comprises a rough-polishing surface of sisal, such as is illustrated in Fig. 4, and a smooth fabric surface, such as is illustrated in Fig. 3. In any buiiing operation, therefore, the-metal surface which is being worked may receive a preliminary polishing on the sisal surface 26 of the convolutions 12, to be followed by a finishing and lusterimparting operation on the smooth fabric surface 24.

Fig. 5 illustrates a section of the convolutions 12 showing the manner in which theoppo-sed sisal and cotton surfaces are intermittently joined by means of concentric rows of stitching28. As will be noted from Figs. 1, 3, and 4, stitches 28 are concentricallyl arranged aboutl the clamping ring 18 at regular intervals. As has been previously mentioned, the bias cut ofboth` the sisal and cotton laminations materially aids. in the pre-, vention of the unravelling at the work-engagingyperipm eries. As may be readily seen from Fig. 4, however, the sisal lamination being coarsely woven has a greater tendency to unravel than the cotton lamination. Consequently, the concentric rows of stitching 2S, positioned near the work-engaging peripheries of the sheet laminations, securely bind the coarse weave of the sisal to the cotton fabric, thereby aiding in the obviation of any unravelling at the sisal work-engaging periphery.

The sequence of steps by which the buif is constructed is substantially as follows: Single elongate sheets of sisal and cotton, which are bias cut, are superimposed one above the other, in coextensive relationship and longitudinally stitched in rows disposed at regular intervals across the width of the sheets prior to winding said sheets on a split cylindrical drum having a centrally positioned, annularly disposed channel. After the desired number of layers of the stitched sisal-cotton sheets have been wrapped around the drum, a wire or equivalent device is positioned around the central portion of the layers in line with the channel. The wire is then drawn taut so that the central portion of the layers is drawn inwardly and the surfaces of the layers are turned at substantially right angles into overlying relationship. The split drum is then separated, allowing the clamping ring 18 to be inserted about the inner periphery or bight portion of the laminated sisal and cotton sheets and clamped in place on the sheet bight portions 14. As will be noted from Fig. 2, the retaining metal ring 30 may assist in maintaining the disc-like convolutions 12 in proper position prior to clamping the lugs 16 to the light portion 14 of the laminated sheet assembly.

The above assembly operation may be carried out in accordance with the teaching of U. S. Patent No. 2,642,- 706 or in other manners which occur to one skilled in this art, provided only that the laminated sheet convolutions should be evenly disposed about the clamping ring hub, thereby assuring a balanced bung wheel construction.

The construction illustrated, in providing discrete laminated convolutions, assures excellent exibility of the wheel construction as each disc-like convolution 12 may conform to any unusual shape or contour. The discrete convolution, or open, construction of the bui 10 also aids in assuring adequate ventilation of the buffing wheel during operation. ln addition, undulatory folds or rufes 21 present in the convolutions 12 and which radiate from the bight portion 14 assist in Ventilating the buif by functionating as air passageways.

It is believed apparent that various substitute materials may be employed in the described embodiment. Sisal in this application is used in its broad sense to include many types of sisal, hemp, burlap and the like. It is also apparent that a plurality of discrete biascut discs may be substituated for the continuous convolutions 12 and Will perform to equal advantage. That is, a plurality of single convolutions of stitched sisal and cotton may be assembled in overlying relationship and clamped in an integral assembly by the clamping ring. Also, while the described embodiment employs a single outer cotton lamination and a single inner sisal lamination in each sheet, it is clear that various laminar structures may be constructed provided only that each sheet remains flexible. For example, a desirable sheet may be assembled having a central sisal lamination with a cotton lamination stitched to each side thereof. Such a construction exhibits somewhat more firmness and ncreased resistance to unravelling.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain the character of my invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under varying conditions of service, While retaining certain features which may properly be said to constitute the essential items of novelty involved, which items are intended to be deiined and secured to me by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A buing wheel comprising a central hub, a laminated sheet having convolutions arranged in the configuration of an undulatory spiral about said central hub, said sheet comprising at least one hard coarsely Woven lamination and at least one soft tightly woven lamination in overlying relationship and joined together at a plurality of spaced positions over substantially all of said sheet, said convolutions of said spiral being discrete and separate from one another and forming open exible, irregularly mied convolutions presenting a periphery of coarsely woven and tightly woven laminations, said coarsely woven and tightly woven laminations extending in continuous, overlying relationship between said periphery and said central hub.

2. A buing wheel comprising a central hub, and a plurality of discrete undulatory bu convolutions, said convolutions being a laminated sheet formed as an annulus about said hub, said sheet comprising at least one hard coarsely woven lamination and at least one soft tightly woven lamination in overlying relationship and joined together at a plurality of spaced positions over substantially all of said sheet, said convolutions being discrete and separate from one another and forming open, exible irregularly ruflled convolutions presenting a periphery of coarsely woven and tightly woven laminations, said coarsely woven and tightly woven laminations extending in continuous, overlying relationship between said periphery and said central hub.

3. A buing wheel comprising a central hub, and a plurality of discrete undulatory buff convolutions, said convolutions being formed of a laminated sheet formed as an annulus about said hub, said sheet comprising at least one bias cut hard coarsely Woven lamination and at least one bias cut soft tightly Woven lamination in overlying relationship and joined together at a plurality of spaced positions over substantially all of said sheet, said convolutions being discrete and separate from one another and forming open, flexible, irregularly ruied convolutions presenting a periphery of coarsely woven and tightly woven laminations, said coarsely woven and tightly woven laminations extending in continuous, overlying relationship between said periphery and said central hub.

4. The buing wheel of claim 3 wherein said convolutions are formed in overlying separate pairs connected together at the inner periphery thereof, the inner periphery of said convolutions being gathered in folds near said central hub, said folds diminishing toward the outer peripheral edges of said convolutions.

5. A bufhng wheel comprising a central hub, and a plurality of discrete undulatory buff convolutions, said convolutions being a laminated sheet formed as an annulus about said hub, said sheet comprising at least one hard coarsely woven lamination and at least one soft tightly woven lamination in overlying relationship, a pattern of stitching over substantially the entire area of said sheet whereby said coarsely woven lamination and said tightly woven lamination are maintained together in overlying relationship, said convolutions being discrete and separate from one another and forming open, flexible, irregularly ruled convolutions presenting a periphery of coarsely woven and tightly woven laminations, said coarsely woven and tightly woven laminations extending in continuous overlying relationship vbetween said pheriphery and said central hub.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,761,890 Ludorf June 3, 1930 1,927,862 Zimmerman Sept. 26, 1933 2,060,952 Springer Nov. 17, 1936 2,085,142 Bowen June 29, 1937 (Other references on following page) 5 UNlTED STATES PATENTS Lippitt July 20, 1937 Hague Feb. 22, 1938 Kerlick let al. Sept. 20, 1938 Sommers Oct. 25, 1938 Murray Dec. 13, 1938 Peterson st al. Mar. 25, 1941 6 Sax Apr. 26, 1949 Blair et al. Nov. 21, 1950 Kingsbury Ian. 30, 1951 Lyon Oct. 16, 1951 Seelenfreund Apr. 29, 1952 Davies June 23, 1952 Jones Jan. 4, 1955 

